1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to walking aids and, more particularly, to a walker equipped with wheels and a braking system operable by only one arm of the user. The braking system includes an arm above each rear wheel that is forced downward into contact with the wheel, and a foot, pad on the upper side of each arm for applying foot pressure to brake each wheel individually as desired.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Of the many types of walkers available today, all require the use of two arms of the user to control both stability of the person and forward movement, of the walker. Many of the existing walkers are so bulky and heavy as to be not suitable for control by one arm of the user, and in the event a walker may be manipulated by one arm, conventional walkers definitely cannot be braked by only one arm of its user. These limitations render conventional walkers unusable by, for example, victims of a stroke who have only one arm to support them and to move the walker. Such walkers, of course, are also unusable for persons born with physical defects of mobility as well as for those victims of accidents or war injuries who have lost an entire limb. A further complication arises when it becomes necessary for such persons to brake their walker during use thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,560 to Turbeville concerns a three-wheeled walker having braking means associated with its two rear wheels, the braking means being operable on each wheel individually by applying arm pressure on respective left and right arm respective wheels of the walker.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,715 to Webb relates to a foldable four-wheel walker that has individual braking means for the rear wheels thereof which means are operable by right and left hand brake levers that cause brake pads to apply pressure to opposite sides of the respective wheels. Compression can be made constant by simply maintaining hand pressure on the respective brake lever.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,255 to Tsuchie concerns a braking device for bicycles having a two-wire braking system wherein a common relay wire causes actuation of both front and rear brakes when compression is applied to either one of the handlebar brake levers.
It can readily be appreciated that these references, either singly or in combination, are not, concerned with and do not suggest or infer the method and apparatus of the present invention for braking a three-wheeled walker or similar device by persons having the use of only one arm for moving and braking the walker.